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Winemaker's Notes

Ruby red with purplish highlights. A nose of black fruits, leather, licorice, as well as aromas of roasting, oriental spices, and eucalyptus. There is powerful aromatic intensity and a lot of fullness and structure in the mouth. A very assertive expression of terroir which expresses the elegance and power of its tannins. This wine is one for very long aging, massive and concentrated, it has a rare intensity of flavor and color.

Critical Acclaim

RP99

The Wine Advocate - "Starting out and one of the most prodigious wines in the vintage, the 2009 Ermitage Ex-Voto is locked and loaded, with a massive amount of raw material. Giving up thrilling amounts of plum, licorice, toasted spice and powdered rock-like minerality, it hits the palate with a muscular, full-bodied texture, big tannin and a blockbuster finish. Serious on all accounts, this incredible effort has the fruit and texture to dish out plenty of enjoyment even now, yet really needs short-term cellaring. Two to three decades of evolution should not be out of the question.
"

WS97

Wine Spectator - "This has a distinctive singed mesquite note out front, along with sandalwood, black tea and juniper hints, followed by a very densely packed core of raspberry, plum and blackberry confiture flavors. The long, charcoal-studded finish has a great tug of roasted earth. Dynamic and expressive, this should cellar effortlessly. Best from 2015 through 2035. 656 cases made. "

E. Guigal Winery

The Guigal domain was founded in 1946 by Etienne Guigal in the ancient village of Ampuis, home of the wines of the Côte-Rôtie. In these vineyards that are over 2400 years old, you can still see the small terraced walls characteristic of the Roman period. Etienne Guigal arrived in this region in 1923 at the age of 14. He made wine for over 67 vintages and, at the beginning of his career, participated in the development of the Vidal-Fleury establishment.

Despite his young age, Marcel Guigal took over from his father in 1961 when the latter was victim to a brutal illness rendering him blind. Marcel's hard work and perseverance enabled the Guigals to buy out Vidal-Fleury in 1984, although the establishment retains its own identity and commercial autonomy. In 2000, the Guigals purchased the Jean-Louis Grippat estate in Saint-Joseph and Hermitage, as well as the Domaine de Vallouit in Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage.

In the cellars of the Guigal estate in Ampuis, the northern appellations of the Rhône Valley are produced and aged. These are the appellations of Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage. The great appellations of the Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Tavel and Côtes-du-Rhône, are also aged in the Ampuis cellars.
View all E. Guigal Wines

About Hermitage

The hill of Hermitage is something to be seen. It is a hill (just one hill) of only about 300 acres, with carefully terraced vines in granite based-soil. The soils of the hill are plotted to make sure that the best variety is planted in the best plot of soil, and the wines reflect those decisions. The hill is spotted with signs from the top producers, like Chapoutier & Jaboulet.

Notable Facts

Syrah is the only varietal permitted in the red wines, while whites are typically blends of both Marsanne and Roussanne. All three varieties grow on the Hermitage hill. The red wines of Hermitage are powerful, age-worthy wines, often commanding prices similar to those of top Bordeaux. They are big in fruit and tight in tannins, but with a few years of age (from three years to three decades) they are beautifully complex, perfumed and sensuous. Their whites are somewhat mineral-driven, and depending on the blend, may have an almost oily texture (in a good way!).

Like the island of Manhattan, once all the land of Hermitage is gone, the land is gone – hard to create sprawl from an already established hill. So winemakers planted in the vineyards surrounding Hermitage, in the much larger and flatter appellation of Crozés-Hermitage. The area produces wines of the same make-up of Hermitage – reds from Syrah, whites from Marsanne and Roussanne. Red wines are allowed up to 15% of the white varieties. Some of the reds are full of fruit flavor and ready to drink now, while others are trying to follow Hermitage, by making wines with lots of power and longevity. The whites are few, but enjoyable with good fruit and the same texture of those from Hermitage.

About France - Other regions

When it comes to wine, France is a classic. Classic blends, grapes and styles began in the country and they still remain. Think about it - people ask for a Burgundian style Pinot Noir, they refer to wines as Bordeaux or Rhone blends - Champagne even had to pass a law to stop international wineries from putting their region on the label of all sparkling wine.

The top regions of France are: Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire, Rhone. And these regions are so diverse! It makes sense that wine regions throughout the world try to emulate their style. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and
Syrah are no longer French varieties, but international varieties. They may not be the leader of cutting edge technology or value-priced wines, but there is no doubt that they are still producing wines of great quality and diversity.

White flowers, haythorne, and acacia honey predominate on the nose. Aromatic and very powerful. Very expressive and fleshy fruit on
the palate. The white comes from two parcels, les Murets (90%) and L'Hermite (10%). These two wines represent the pinnacle ...

Produced only in exceptional vintages, the Ermitage Ex Voto is the expression of a sincere desire to own vines in
the Hermitage appellation and to produce an exceptional wine which reflects the soul of this prestigious appellation of the Rhône ...

Alcohol By Volume Guide

Most wine ranges from 10-16% alcohol by volume. Some varietals tend to have higher (for example Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon) or lower alcohol levels (Pinot Noir and many white varietals), but there is always some variation from producer to producer. Some wine falls outside of this range, for instance Port weighs in closer to 20%, while Muscat and Riesling are usually a bit below 10%.

Wine Style Guide

Light & Fruity

Red wines that are more fruit-forward and lighter in tannin and body.

Smooth & Supple

Medium bodied reds that go down easy, with smooth tannins and supple fruit.